MetaFilter posts tagged with Israel

What Israel can teach us about (airport) security

joeclark — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:46:26 -0800

What Israel can teach us about (airport) security. At Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, it’s all about eye contact. Expert: “[T]hey’re not looking for liquids, they’re not looking at your shoes. They’re not looking for everything they look for in North America. They just look at you... Even today with the heightened security in North America, they will check your items to death. But they will never look at you, at how you behave. They will never look into your eyes... and that’s how you figure out the bad guys from the good guys.” Oh, and get this: “The goal at Ben Gurion is to move fliers from the parking lot to the airport lounge in 25 minutes tops.”

Rethinking organ donation policy

MuffinMan — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:01:01 -0800

In response to shortfalls in organ donation, policy is undergoing a serious rethink in several countries. In Australia, the government has just lifted a ban on animal-to-human transplants. In the UK, the Chief Medical Officer has called for presumed consent, while in Israel a new law gives donor card carriers a legal right to priority treatment if they should require an organ transplant. Many are looking to Spain, which leads the world, having seen the number of deceased donors per million people - a commonly used benchmark - increase from 14 in 1989 when a new system was put in place to 34.2 last year. Interestingly, people committing suicide have a higher rate of donating organs than average.

Kotel everybody?

albrecht — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:59:39 -0800

A women's prayer group was expelled from the area of Jerusalem's Western Wall on Wednesday for wearing tallitot and reading from the Torah, in violation of an Israeli Supreme Court ruling that restricts these activities to men in the area directly in front of the wall. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the majority of non-Orthodox rabbinical students are female, with the Reform movement being the most female-dominated, leaving some communities struggling to revitalize men's participation in the religion.

Inside Gaza

smoke — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:04:48 -0800

"Every opportunity for peace in the Middle East has been led to slaughter" Lawrence Wright in The New Yorker writes about the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip nearly eleven months ago, talking to Palestinians, Israelis and aid workers. Political context combined with incredibly saddening everyday civilian life.

The House on Garibaldi Street

reenum — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:35:26 -0800

The capture of Adolf Eichmann is one of the more daring spy operations in the post WWII era. The story spans 17 years, beginning with Eichmann's clandestine escape from the Allied forces and the Nuremberg trial, and ending with his hanging in Israel. After WWII, Eichmann was able to escape the Nuremberg trials and the subsequent efforts of Nazi hunters in Europe. He worked as a farmer for 5 years, before he was able to gain passage to Argentina with the help of an organization that helped ex-Nazis defect to South America. However, Nazi hunters like Simon Wiesenthal never forgot about Eichmann and the crimes he had committed. After years of chasing false leads, the Mossad finally found Eichmann and assembled a team to capture him. This team included Rafi Eitan and Peter Malkin. The team followed Eichmann and planned his capture, which ended with the Israelis smuggling a drugged Eichmann aboard an El-Al plane and making two transcontinental flights that pushed the plane's limits. The operation caused embarrassment for some of the world's superpowers. But, the trial went on nonetheless. Subsequent generations have studied this capture and the impact it had on the world as a whole. You can find repositories of Eichmann related documents here, here, here and here.

The Times They are a-changin'

adamvasco — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:42:36 -0800

American Jews Rethink Israel: The US-Israeli relationship is largely unparalleled in history, with a monolithic Lobbyist . This is changing.
J Street, a decidedly more liberal Jewish lobby than AIPAC, seems to be having a hard time making friends. ( self loading video) Perhaps, as the comment suggests, it is being thwarted by the religious right?
J Street And World Order - an analysis.
What’s Driving the Jihad Against J Street - Matthew Yglesias
Mondoweiss thinks J Street is scaring the shit out of the old Israeli lobby.

Asaf Avidan and the Mojos

alona — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:59:14 -0800

He was born in Israel, spent four years in Jamaica, studied cinema and worked as a voice actor. Now, at 29, he sings like Janis Joplin and is the first Israeli musician to sign a four-record label with Sony Columbia. Ladies and gentelmen, presenting Asaf Avidan[youtube]. His site is still under construction, but you can check his music out on myspace or last.fm.

The Bride Who Crawled Through a Tunnel

shetterly — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:19:25 -0800

"Gaza Love Story: The Bride Who Crawled Through a Tunnel" "He lived in the Gaza Strip, she in the West Bank. It seemed as though the Israeli blockade would prevent their marriage. Then May risked her life to crawl through a smugglers' tunnel into Gaza and join Mohammed. Now they face an uncertain future together."

i think plastered skulls is a pretty cool guy. eh sits in the dirt and doesn't afraid of anything

Greg Nog — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:07:20 -0800

Plastered Skulls! In the Middle East in the early Neolithic, one common burial practice involved digging up a previously-buried body, removing the skull, and using plaster over the skull itself to sculpt an image of the face of the deceased. Many seem to think these skulls were made as a form of ancestor-worship, but some disagree. Three such skulls were discovered a little over a year ago at Yiftah’el, in the lower Galilee. Here's a short article about the find. Here's a brief overview of prehistoric and early historic art, which features a really swell picture of a plastered skull.

Sex, bribes and videotape

ryoshu — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:01:17 -0800

FBI whistleblower, Sibel Edmonds, has gone on record with her allegations of government corruption and treason. (previously)

Are Peace Negotiations in the Cards?

Ironmouth — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:18:44 -0800

Are Peace Negotiations hosted by Russia and France in the cards? Today, President Obama is meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu and the Palestian Authority's Abbas and then hosting a three-way meeting with both leaders. Officially all parties claim they have "low expectations." But is this really the case? On August 25, in a little-noticed article, the Guardian claimed that negotiations "have reached such an advanced stage that both France and Russia have approached the US offering to host a peace conference." The Guardian article went on to state that the President had Obama "pencilled in the announcement of his breakthrough for either a meeting of world leaders at the UN general assembly in New York in the week beginning 23 September or the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 24-25 September." And other events may be a tell. Last week, Obama ordered a major change in US missile defense plans, moving a proposed deployment from Poland and the Czech Republic to ships in the Eastern Mediterranean sea. The President argued that Iranian threats required a quick response. Russia reciprocated quickly, announcing on Saturday that it was scrapping a proposed missile deployment near Poland. Russia didn't stop there. In reaction to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statements that the Holocaust was a "lie," the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the remarks were “absolutely unacceptable’’ and insulting to the memory of the World War II victims. The question remains--was the Guardian right? Were last week's moves by the US and Russia a prelude to a peace conference which Russia will help host? Is another round of peace talks coming? We'll find out soon.

Wonder what this will do for book sales?

up in the old hotel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:08:44 -0800

Bin Laden's Reading List for Americans “After you read the suggested books, you will know the truth, and you will be greatly shocked by the scale of concealment that has been exercised on you:"

The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt. Previously on Metafilter.
Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter
According to the translation, “The Apology of a Hired Killer.” The book is said to have been written by “a former CIA agent who lived in two cultures, whose conscience was awakened in his third decade and decided to say the truth despite threats.” While there seems to be no book of that title and description, bin Laden may have been reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins.

A Palestinian Hebrew of Jewish origins

adamvasco — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:57:10 -0800

The first Jewish member of the Revolutionary Council of Fatah talks about a unique political journey.

as the small number of white members of the ANC widened its legitimacy during the apartheid era in South Africa, other Jews can be attracted to participate in Fatah, transforming it into a broader-based movement that stands for equal rights for both Arabs and Jews in a federated state.

Uri Davis whose motto is Against Israeli Apartheid — for Freedom and Justice in Palestine.

Two killed in Tel-Aviv hate crime on gay youth club

alona — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:37:29 -0800

Saturday, Aug 1, a gunman walked into a gay youth club in Tel Aviv at app. 22:40 pm and started firing a gun indiscriminately at the teenagers who were there. Twelve were injured, four of them in critical condition, and two were instantly killed. Some background. That same night, hundreds of people rallied the streets of Tel Aviv in protest.

"This grave incident should awaken society to rid itself of prejudice. We must accept and recognize the right of every person to live safely and with dignity."
Tzipi Livni, opposition leader, at a rally held at the site of the shooting the following day.

I was there when it happened.

Nice weather for protests.

shii — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:59:51 -0800

June has been a good month for political upheaval and mass protest. Peru (update), China, and Iran were discussed here previously. But how many of the following were you aware of: Canada, Thailand, Honduras, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Pakistan, and India? The latter four reflect a quite serious electricity shortage throughout the Indian subcontinent, during a record-breaking heat wave that has caused over 100 deaths. But don't worry, not everyone is dealing with life-threatening problems. In Israel 30,000 turned out to protest a parking lot. Meanwhile, Indymedia continues to cover all the bourgeois first-world protests you've never really wanted to know about.

writers as journalists

dhruva — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:55:47 -0800

When authors and poets write the news "It was on an average Wednesday that a very serious Israeli newspaper conducted a very wild experiment. For one day, Haaretz (scroll down and select June 10th) editor-in-chief Dov Alfon sent most of his staff reporters home and sent 31 of Israel’s finest authors and poets to cover the day’s news. Read articles on integration at the giraffe enclosure, love in the cancer ward, mosaics in Tel Aviv, addicts at the Jerusalem rehab centre, and a visit to the grave of a holy man, among others. [via]

Obama and the Mideast Conflict

ornate insect — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:57:05 -0800

Barak Hussein Obama: anti-Semitic Jew Hater. Some 130 protesters gathered in front of the American Consulate in Jerusalem Wednesday afternoon to rally against U.S. President Barack Obama, who had just launched his Middle East tour, during which he is expected to reach out in friendship to the Muslim world. [...] As more than a dozen local and international journalists looked on, the protesters chanted "No, You Can't" and waved posters saying "20 new 'settlements' by 2010 - Yes We Can!" Needless to say, among the Israeli far-right Obama is not popular as he currently makes his visit to Saudi Arabia, and then goes on to Egypt. But on the left, some Israeli commentators welcome Obama's recent "tough love" demand for a settlement freeze: ...if we find that even America has cooled toward us, that we really are alone in the world, I think at that point this country [Israel] will finally tell the settlers: It's over. Still others think Netanyahu needs to show more Israeli initiative for peace. Meanwhile, while some in Congress are uneasy with Obama's mideast approach, Netanyahu's claim that Bush had agreed to more West Bank growth seems perhaps both beside the point and also factually untrue: “There was never an agreement to accept natural growth,” the [former Bush] official said Tuesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the matter. “There was an effort to explore what natural growth would mean, but we weren’t able to reach agreement on that.”.

The city that sits alone, with a wall in its heart

Joe in Australia — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:23:16 -0800

Mountain air, clear as wine
And the scent of pines
Brought by the twilight breeze
With the sound of bells

Shortly before the Six Day War of 1967 an amateur singer performed [YT] an elegy for the then-divided city of Jerusalem "locked in a dream ... with a wall in its heart". Yerushalayim Shel Zahav [YT], Jerusalem of Gold, became Israel's best-loved song. It was sung by the first Jews to re-enter Jerusalem after the Jordanian occupation and its author added a new stanza commemorating the fact that Jews had "returned to the wells, the market and the squares." The melody is based on a Basque lullaby [YT] sung here by Pello Joxepe.

Palestinian musician expelled from West Bank

Joe in Australia — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:04:16 -0800

Wafa Younis is an Arab Israeli musician who organised a youth orchestra in the Jenin refugee camp. She recently brought her orchestra to play for Holocaust survivors at an Israeli old age home. The performance was strongly criticised by Palestinians as a hostile political act. Now the orchestra has been disbanded, its performance space sealed, and Ms Younis has been expelled from the West Bank. This is really depressing. What chance can there be for peace if people react this way?

A chance for a Middle East peace

homunculus — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:36:22 -0800

Syria Calling: The Obama Administration’s chance to engage in a Middle East peace.

"We Should Kill Everyone There"

homunculus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:45:37 -0800

IDF in Gaza: Killing civilians, vandalism, and lax rules of engagement. "During Operation Cast Lead, Israeli forces killed Palestinian civilians under permissive rules of engagement and intentionally destroyed their property, say soldiers who fought in the offensive." Can Israel dismiss its own troops' stories from Gaza? [Via]

Crying Freeman

cimbrog — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:50:39 -0800

Chas Freeman says goodbye. While not a direct appointee of President Obama or in a position to make policy, Chas Freeman found himself the middle of a firestorm over being selected as chairman of the NIC. Many are saying that he was chased out due to his views on Israel. Others are saying the problem is related to some comments on China or his Saudi Ties. So was this the result of a powerful lobby flexing its muscles or are people boxing with shadows?

Dinga dinga dee!

sonic meat machine — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:17:59 -0800

Missiles! and girls! [SLYT]

Digital Archaeological Atlas of the Holy Land

Rumple — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:12:57 -0800

The Digital Archaeological Atlas of the Holy Land is a comprehensive spatially-referenced database of current archaeological knowledge of all periods of Levantine history and prehistory. Spatial search is a good entry point, as are the Palestine Exploration Fund historic maps. You can also search by time period or dig into the many ancient Empires of the area. Or just look at everything in the database. The site is a work in progress, but a cool one powered by a consortium of over 30 professional archaeologists. May require Google Maps. via

Historical Maps of Jerusalem and the Middle East

Kattullus — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:45:49 -0800

Holy Land Maps and Ancient Maps of Jerusalem both showcase parts of Eran Laor Cartographic Collection. Both collectiona can be browsed by cartographer and date. Here are some of my favorite maps: 1497 perspective map of Jerusalem, Jacotin's 1818 map of Nazareth, Jordan and Acre, 1685 perspective map of Jerusalem, 1482 Ptolemy of the Middle East, 1751 map of Egypt, Arabia and the Middle East and 1928 perspective map of Jerusalem (complete with Hebrew guide). [Another part of The Eran Laor Cartographic Collection previously on MetaFilter]